Natural Md Radio | Feel Better, Live Better

Dealing with PCOS is no small matter. Symptoms like acne, hirsutism (hair growth in unwanted places like your chin, breasts, or lower belly), weight gain, alopecia (hair loss), irregular or skipped periods, and possibly even fertility problems are challenging — both physically and emotionally.Unfortunately, most women tell me that they received nothing more than a brochure from their doctor and prescription for the Pill — no further questions asked, no further guidance given.I’m here to tell you there’s a lot more we can do for PCOS. In my new book, Hormone Intelligence, I created a complete Advanced Protocol for PCOS, filled with diet and lifestyle changes that can help treat the underlying causes of PCOS. In this episode I share part of that protocol in the form of the top herbs and supplements for PCOS to address the underlying causes. For a companion article go to avivaromm.com/herbs-and-supplements-for-pcos/

As many of you know, for the past 4 years I’ve been writing a new book. It's called Hormone Intelligence and I wanted to share with you an interview about my book, with talk show host, actor and filmmaker, Ricki Lake, and documentary producer, Abby Epstein, who created The Business of Being Born, and the forthcoming Business of Birth Control.

Menstrual cycles. We have about 400 of them in our lifetime. Yet most of us know so little about how this amazing process really works, and why they’re so important to pay attention to and know how to interpret. It’s led most of us to grow up pretty much in the dark about a fact of life that if you have a uterus, you’re going to experience for 35 to 40 or so years of your life. That right there's a good reason to know more about how your menstrual cycle works.While hormones are a force of nature and we can't control it all, the more you know about your own hormones and cycles, the more you can live in harmony with - and even influence what’s happening below the surface. With this episode you have a roadmap to tell you when they’re getting back on track.For an accompanying article, go to avivaromm.com/how-your-menstrual-cycle-works/

Throughout history, the menstrual cycle has been shrouded in magic and mystery. In some ancient cultures, menstrual blood was imbued with magical powers, and menstruating women considered to have the ability to even see the future. In the middle-ages, a major religious and with it, cultural shift occurred. Menstruation and menstruating women were no longer treated with reverence. Menstruation was considered dirty; menstruating women dangerous, and menstrual blood toxic enough to make crops wither, leave men impotent, and lead to natural disasters.Vestiges of these attitudes have persisted over centuries and have led to long-held cultural shame and ignorance about periods. As a result, most of us started out on our menstrual journeys more or less in the dark - not knowing what’s normal, what we should be concerned about, or how to get that information. And we have largely internalized that periods are gross and dirty.Fortunately, it’s never too late to gain a deeper understanding of your body and menstrual cyc

Pregnancy is already a time of heightened concern and sense of responsibility – after all, we know that what we do has an impact on our own health – and our baby’s development, growth, and health. Certainly, for women around the globe, COVID-19 has added multiple new layers of concern, worry, and questions on so many aspects of healthcare and mothering: whether it’s safe to get pregnant during this time, where to have your baby (i.e., home vs. hospital), whether to get the vaccine, how much should you worry, should you be around friends and family while you’re pregnant, what about after baby is born?Making such significant decisions – and one that neither midwives and medical doctors nor pregnant women have had to deal with before – is a tough position to be in, and I know it can be scary.Compared to last year this time, we know a whole lot more about this virus, how to protect ourselves, and about how to navigate pandemic life while pregnant. So let’s take a close look at what we’ve learned so far about COVI

The PCOS gut connection is a surprising new approach to a complex condition that Despite the fact that 1 in 10 women experience PCOS, the medical model has little to offer beyond or instead of prescription medications - which can help but aren’t ‘answers.’One significant root cause that research is revealing is the connection between the microbiome and PCOS. In fact, gut health may play a much bigger role in PCOS than was ever previously considered. Join me in this episode as we explore the PCOS Gut connection. And for a companion article go to avivaromm.com/pcos-gut-connection/

Do you have high estrogen levels? The term “estrogen dominance” gets tossed around a lot in the wellness and functional medicine worlds. It’s a common blanket explanation for many common – and even sometimes more serious – hormone-related issues. But what you’ve heard about estrogen dominance may not be entirely accurate, has some dubious historical underpinnings, and often oversimplifies what’s really going on.Let’s unpack what’s meant by estrogen dominance, what’s really going on, and why it’s important to identify and understand. Then we’ll look at how to address estrogen-related issues to reverse common gynecologic symptoms from breast tenderness to menstrual migraine, heavy periods to hot flashes, and more – as well as protecting yourself against the risks of chronic excess estrogen exposure. For an accompanying article, go to avivaromm.com/high-estrogen/

Have you noticed a change in your menstrual cycle this past year or lately and wondered if it’s just you? In short, it’s not. From longer or shorter cycles, to more cramps and heavy bleeding to heightened PMS symptoms, a substantial number of women are reporting changes in their usual menstrual cycle patterns. And many are trying to understand and adapt, wondering what’s causing their cycles to suddenly take a turn for the irregular or more uncomfortable. .Let’s dive into this unexpected side effect of pandemic life, what it means, and what we can do to keep – or to get – our menstrual cycles on track. For an accompanying article, go to avivaromm.com/pandemic-period-problems/

At some point in your life, it's likely that you’ve noticed a connection between your digestive system and your hormones, probably in the form of annoying or uncomfortable premenstrual bloating, or the loose stools so many women experience like clockwork just before their period starts. But have you ever considered that acne, period pain, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids could be related to not just your hormones, but something going on in your gut?In this episode we're going to focus on the important role of your microbiome on your hormone balance – particularly when it comes to estrogen. You can also read the accompanying article available at avivaromm.com/estrobolome/

After being hospitalized due to postpartum complications, Brandi Frazier knew that something had to be done to help women. If she had not advocated for herself throughout her pregnancy and postpartum, she could have lost her life, a fate that has befallen to a shocking number of other African-American mothers. From these experiences she created Bee Empowered Mama, an organization that provides online resources, workshops and community to coach mamas to self advocate for themselves from the moment they find out they’re pregnant, and beyond. Join me for this inspired and inspiring conversation with Brandi.

Heavy periods. At least 50% of women struggle with them enough to, well, absolutely skip wearing white pants during that time of the month, and for 1 in 6 women, they’re severe enough to significant impact quality of life – from disruptive, frequent trips to the bathroom to change pads or tampons, to serious at-work period accidents, to staying home from work social engagements, and basically living life for fear of public period accidents.Maybe this is something you’ve heard is “just a normal” part of having a menstrual cycle. (Nope!) Perhaps, like so many women, you’ve even heard this from your doctor! (Wrong!) Blowing through pads or tampons each cycle, stressing about ‘period accidents,’ arranging your life around your period, or feeling dang tired each month – or all the time – is anything but normal – and it’s certainly not something you should just have to ‘deal with, ’ever!In this episode, I’ll share the causes of heavy periods – along with what you can do to identify your und

Endometriosis. If you've been suffering with it silently, as so many women are, you know how much it can impact your life. In this podcast I share some of the science-backed herbs and supplements I use in my medical practice for helping my patients address the symptoms and associated underlying causes of endometriosis, including inflammation and immune dysregulation in endometrium-like tissue.While studies on natural therapies and endometriosis are still in their infancy (as is the study of endometriosis in general!), these therapies provide you with options your physician is unlikely to be aware of, and which may provide relief and even endometriosis reversal that might allow you to reduce your need for medications and surgery.For a companion article go to avivaromm.com/endometriosis-herbs-supplements/

While acne is something we tend to think of as making our teenager’s lives miserable – and for many young women it certainly does – it also plagues many women well into their adult lives. Moderate to severe acne can really take a toll on you emotionally and mentally. It causes women to skip school or work, pass on social occasions, cancel dates, and feel horribly self-conscious. And it can lead to depression. Even mild break outs and flare ups can be distressing in a culture that places so much value on women’s appearance.In this episode I discuss what's known about the underlying causes of hormonal acne, and I share an integrative approach - what I call a total ecosystem approach - you can take to heal hormonal acne from the inside out, so you can feel at peace in your skin again, finally. For an companion article, go to avivaromm.com/treat-hormonal-acne/

I invite you into an entirely new way of understanding your cycles and hormones – as your inner-hormone GPS – and to learn to tap into your innate body wisdom. Knowing the language of your cycles is not only empowering and really interesting, your menstrual cycle is your 6th Vital Sign and can tell you a tremendous amount about your hormonal and overall health. Listen to this episode to explore women's hormones - the background music of our lives. An accompanying article can be found at avivaromm.com/understanding-your-menstrual-cycle/

If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant any time in the next year, preparing your body for a healthy pregnancy and nourishing your growing baby are probably top of mind. Along with eating as well as you can to optimize your fertility and pregnancy health, this is the time many women consider whether or not they should be taking a prenatal vitamin and which one of the many options to choose. In fact, one of the most common questions I get is: do I need a prenatal vitamin? And if so, how do I know if I’m getting a good quality one?In this episode I'll share why prenatal vitamins help optimize preconception and pregnancy and what exactly I recommend to the women I work with. Let’s clear the confusion so you can feel confident in the choice you make for your health and baby’s health. For an accompanying article, go to avivaromm.com/prenatal-vitamins/

In today’s very special Birth Circle episode of Natural MD Radio I sit down with multi-time-NYT best-selling author, Oprah Super Soul Sunday guest, and dear friend Gabby Bernstein to talk about her experience with Postpartum anxiety.After a 3 year journey to conception, followed by a beautiful birth - that I was very blessed to attend - Gabby found herself paralyzed with postpartum anxiety: not eating, not sleeping, afraid to socialize, afraid to leave her house, and in a constant state of fear and despair. In this episode, Gabby shares her experience of facing her postpartum anxiety and her decision to seek help and go on psychiatric medications to get her thru this very painful period of time.For show notes, go to avivaromm.com/gabby-bernstein-postpartum-anxiety/

Some of us find our path in life early, whether due to adversity, chance, or some fire in the soul. For me, food activism was my entry point into all the I now do as a midwife, herbalist, and MD, as well as a mom and a human. My guest today also got a fire in her soul that has also shaped her work early on in her life, and helped her to become the remarkable food activist she is today, Leah Penniman is a Black Kreyol farmer, author, mother, and food justice activist who has been tending the soil and organizing for an anti-racist food system for over 20 years. She currently serves as founding co-executive director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York, a people-of-color led project that works toward food and land justice. Join us for this important conversation about building a food system free of racism and other inequalities. Show notes at avivaromm.com/leah-penniman/

I’d love to share some common sense ideas with you on how you can raise your family as an eco-warrior in this podcast. It’s not as hard as you think, it doesn't have to be expensive, I know these options are not cheap, and can be hard to budget for, but what's really convincing, is that the results can be significant. We can’t simply wait for policy makers, industry leaders, or the government to change the course of our planetary catastrophe – and with it – our personal health and safety and that of the next generations. The change has to start with us, how we live, what we teach our children, and our own health depends on the many little choices we make each day. So let's get you started! You can read an accompanying article at avivaromm.com/eco-conscious-family/

In this episode of the Birth Circle I get to sit down with new mama Dr. Jessica Clemons to talk about racial and reproductive justice, and how her experience as a black med student and black pregnant woman impacted her journey to bring her baby boy into this world at home this past April. Dr. Jess, MD, is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist, from Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University NYU Langone Medical Center. While her work is primarily in providing direct clinical care, her mission is to reduce stigma associated with mental illness, particularly in the Black community. For an accompanying article and links, go to avivaromm.com/dr-jessica-clemons/

Join me for a dynamic conversation with Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake about their new documentary - The Business of Birth Control. Looking at the complex relationship of hormonal contraception to women’s health and liberation, their film features the stories of activists, doctors and scientists who are blowing the whistle on how hormonal birth control affects the mind and body. The film revisits the 1970’s Nelson Pill Hearings, where feminists disrupted the proceedings to demand informed consent and follows a courageous group of bereaved parents who are fighting to get warning labels on Yaz and NuvaRing fifty years later.